Guest Review: Blood & Bullets by James R. Tuck

He lives to kill monsters. He keeps his city safe. And his silver hollow-points and back-from-the-dead abilities help him take out any kind of supernatural threat. But now an immortal evil has this bad-ass bounty hunter dead in its sights. . .

Ever since a monster murdered his family, Deacon Chalk hunts any creature that preys on the innocent. So when a pretty vampire girl “hires” him to eliminate a fellow slayer, Deacon goes to warn him–and barely escapes a vampire ambush. Now he’s got a way-inexperienced newbie hunter to protect and everything from bloodsuckers to cursed immortals on his trail. There’s also a malevolent force controlling the living and the undead, hellbent on turning Deacon’s greatest loss into the one weapon that could destroy him.

Hi, my name is Melanie, and I’m in love with a fictional character. Deacon Chalke is a man set on avenging the deaths of his wife and kids. By avenging, I mean killing every vampire he can. This book is so full of action, that I honestly hope it is someday turned into a movie so that even people who don’t read can experience the awesomeness that is Deacon. He’s big, he’s bad ass, and he has no mercy for the race of vampires that is responsible for the death of his family.

There is absolutely nothing romantic about these vampires, so if you are looking for the type of vampires that have redeeming qualities, and are just misunderstood, keep looking, because this book is not for you. The vampires in this story are bloodthirsty monsters who will think nothing of eating your family in front of you, then saving you for dessert for later, after you have been traumatized in every way possible.

This book is filled with guns, holy relics used as weapons and just general bad assness. Deacon owns a strip club called Polecats that he also uses as a base of operations. Most of Deacon’s “associates” are people that he has helped in some way after encountering the vampires, so they are all very loyal to him. He even has a priest that helps him out.  Tuck takes the vampire myth back to the crucifixion in a way I have never heard done before. Personally, I think his version is a very good one that really gives you a different perspective on the origins of these monsters. I can’t tell you what it is though, because it would ruin the surprise!

There are several were-creatures in this book, but that is not a main theme. I enjoy the many one liners Tuck uses and did find myself laughing despite their sometimes being quite corny. There is a few “you had to be there” kind of moments that I really wish I had been there for. I am hoping he tells about them later in the series because I really do want to know how he used a toothpick as a stake. My new favorite quote of all time,

“And vampires never sparkle unless they just ate a stripper”

I must say that Deacon Chalke is who I would want my husband to turn into if my kids and I were ever killed. His mission is to kill any vampire, and try to “save” any human that has been affected by them. He doesn’t seem to have much interest in any sort of relationship with a woman. He can appreciate a woman’s beauty, but does not fall prey to it, and really only vaguely seems interested in even a purely sexually relationship with someone.

I totally 100% recommend this book to anyone who enjoys action and a good story. If you need a break from the typical vampire story or paranormal romance, please check this out. You won’t regret it. Well, I didn’t regret it anyway, and now I can’t wait to read the rest of the series!